Yieldable support for phonograph records



J. G. NOLEN YQIELDABLE SUI-"FORII ,FOR PHONOGRAPH RECORDS y Filed Sept. 29. 1921 i 5 f um O l k/ 21 Patented Jan. 15, 1924.

UNITED STATES JAMES Gr. NOLEN, F NEW YORK, N. Y.

YIELDABLE SUPPORT FOR PHONOGRAPH RVECORDS.

Application filed September 29, 1921. Serial No. 504,227.

To all whom t may conce/m.'

Be it known that I, JAMES G. NOLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing in New York, in the county of New' York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Yieldable Supports for Phonograph Records, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to sound or tone improving devices for holding or supporting phonograph record disks for rotation with a turntable, and has for one object to provide a sound improvingk means which does not require for its use any change in the customary record disk or in the turntables for revolving the disks, or in the disk needles.

Another object is to provide a sound modifier whereby is aiforded effective or full needling of the sound waves of a record disk tions or brilliant passages, without chattering or blasting vibrations.

1n my invention, theirecord disk is supported on the turntable upon yielding bosses or nibs; these bosses or nibs being arranged on the face of the sound modifier around the axis thereof, the disk being rotated by the transverse frictional torque of these bosses or nibs. VVhe'n the disk reaches the parts of I0 the sound waves forming the deeper portions of the grooves, there is resistance and momentary retardation of the rotative movement of the record disk relative to the rotative movement of the turntable, and during such momentary retardation opportunity is afforded for the needle to descend into or engage'the full depth of the deeper sound waves, whereby yproper or full needling of the sound waves `carrying grooves of deep amplitude, representing coarser vibrations or brilliant passages of the record, is permitted.

By this arrangement I obviate the tendency of the needle to jump from the crest or apex of one sound wave to the adjacent inclined side of the next sound wave without entering or engaging the portion of the'sound wave between said apex and inclined side, thereby to prevent the sound represented by such skipped or omitted portion ofthe wavel from being altogether lost or only improperly reproduced.

In the accompanying drawings, which show one of many possible embodiments of my invention, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a phonograph cabinet, partly broken by the needle, representing coarser vibra-l one of the ybosses or nibs.

Figure Gis a diagrammatic sectional view on an enlarged scale of one of the bosses or nibs, showing the Zone of resilient or yieldable support of the boss or nib.

Similar reference characters denote Similar parts throughout the several views.

My sound modifier comprises a plate A of aluminum disk record stock, or any suitable metal or material, preferably of disk shape, somewhat less in diameter than a customary record disk, the plate or disk A being provided at its center with an aperture 10 for centering the plate or disk A upon the revoluble post P carrying the phonograph turntable T. The plate or disk A has a smooth upper and under surface.

The plate or disk A, is provided on its upper side with bosses or nibs 12 and 13, the bosses or nibs 12 being spaced apart and preferably arranged in a circle of less diameter than the plate or disk A around the periphery of the plate or disk A, the bosses or nibs 13 being spaced apart'and preferably arranged around the aperture 10 in a smaller circle or cluster than the circle of bosses or lnibs 12, the diameter of this smaller Circle or cluster as 1 have found in practice, preferably being from two to twoand one-half inches on a plate or disk A suitable for use with a record disk ofthe usual diameter, or substantially one-fifth the diameter of the disk, for the most efficient distribution of support.

The bosses or nibs 12 and 13 are made of soft rubber, for instance, Para gum, and preferably have cylindrical stems 14 which are cupped or hollowed out at their upper ends 15, and terminate in thin or fine peripheral edges 16, which engage the under side of the record disk and by transverse torque rotate the disk, the cupped portions of the bosses as shown at .7J-o5, Fig. 6, constitutingzones of resilient or yieldable support for the record disk.

The bosses or nibs 12 and 13 are secured to the plate or disk A in any suitable manner, as by the stems ,14 andsecuring heads 17 shown, which are pressed into mouthed apertures 18 of the plate or disk A and retained therein by the elasticity of the stems and heads.

The plate disk A is centered by means of the aperture 10 on the revoluble post P with Whichthe turntable T revolves, the turntable having the usual tractional or frictional upper surface of felt F or similar material with which the under surface of the plate vor disk A engages for rotation with the turntable.

In operation, the plate or disk A is placed over the post P, and the record disk D is placed over the plate A, the bosses or nibs 12- and 13 supporting the record disk, the engagement of the cupped ends and the transverse torque of the bosses or nibs 1Q, and `13) causing the record disk to revolve with the plate or disk A. When during the rotation of the record disk the `disk needle N enters those parts or the record groove comprising waves of great amplitude, it causes a very short. moment of retardation of the record disk relative to the rotation of theturntable, during which retardation the disk needle, due to the Zones of yieldable support of the bosses, is afforded opportunity to enter or engage fully and properly the record wave `for the entire length thereof. The moment of retardation is short, usually lasting less than a Wave length or at best very Jfew vibrations, so that no lowering ot the'musical tone is noticeable.

In practice it is found that my invention practically entirely obviates unpleasant chattering and blasting` sounds ordinarily produced by waves of deep, or great, amplitude of the coarser and lower notes. This is a great improvement as it prevents the production by the diaphragm of such unpleasant sounds, and also prevents their communication to other parts of the phonograph.

Having'thus described my invention it should be understood that there may be modifications thereof and variations therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is 1. A record support comprising, a base member, and a plurality of cupped projections extending upwardly rom the base member, said projections constituting zones of yieldable support for rotation of a record by a phonograph turntable.

2. A record support comprising, a base member, and a plurality of cupped projections thereon of resilient material extending above the surface vot base member and providing zones of yieldable support for rotation of a record disk by a phonograph turntable.

3. A record support comprising, a base member, and a plurality of cupped projections providing zones of yieldable support for rotation of a record disk by a phonograph turntable, the projections being operatively secured in openings through the base member and extending above the surtace of the base member.

4L. A record support comprising, a base member, and a plurality of cupped projections of resilient material providing Zones of yieldable support for rotation ot a record disk by a phonograph turntable, the projections being operatively secured in openings through the base member and extending above the surface of the base member.

5. A record support comprising, a base member, and a plurality of tip-standing projections of resilient material thereon, each projection having a body portion cupped at one of its ends for providing a Zone of yieldable support for rotation ot a record disk by a phonograph turntable, the body portion having at its opposite end a head for operatively securing the projection in an opening through the base member.

6. A record support comprising, a base member, and a plurality of tip-standing projections of resilient material thereon, each projection having a body portion cupped at one of its ends for providing a zone of yieldable support for rotation ot a record disk by a phonograph turntable, the body portion having at its opposite end a laterally extending head for operatively securing the projection'in an opening through the base member.

JAMES G. NOLEN. Witnesses H. P. HERRIGINS, MAX Rosan. 

